The Director of Children’s Services presented a report covering four distinct areas of Early Years provision:

(a) Changes relating to the provision of free early education for all eligible 3 and 4 year olds and agreement for funds to be allocated in support of these changes.

(b)  Proposals to change the method of calculating early education funding and the development of a Single Formula Funding for early years provision in schools and the private, voluntary and independent sectors (hereafter referred to as “settings”).

(c)  An early pilot to offer free early education places to eligible 2 year olds.

(d)  Applications for funding, allocated to settings under the Early Years Quality and Access Capital Grant, as first agreed on 23rd April 2009.

Resolved – That

(1)  Cabinet agrees the changes proposed in the provision of early education to all eligible 3 and 4 year olds and the group of providers selected for the pilot extension.

(2)  The allocation of £100,000 for flexibility incentives be made to up to 10 schools and settings who are able to pilot changes and deliver an extended offer to eligible 3 and 4 year olds.

(3)  Proposals for Single Formula Funding to be brought to Cabinet at a later date as a recommendation from the Schools Forum.

(4)  Cabinet agrees the proposals for the pilot programme for 2 year olds.

(5)  The Capital Grants set out in Appendix 2 and proposals for spend in 2009/ 2010 be approved